Tethered: One Shot Series
by The Prince of Nothing Charming
Summary: Lydia Martin and Stiles Stilinski's connection, their tether, had a deeper connection than either teen could imagine. As it seemed, Lydia Martin and Stiles Stilinski were woven through each other. In every world, every alternative, at some point or another, Lydia and Stiles find each other.
1. Fallout

_**An empty room,**_  
 _ **I'm empty too**_  
 _ **And everything reminds me of you**_  
 _ **So many things**_  
 _ **I shouldn't have missed**_  
 _ **The more that I push**_  
 _ **And the more you resist**_  
 _ **It's easy to say it's for the best**_  
 _ **When you want more**_  
 _ **While you leave me with less**_

 _ **I know you're fine, but what do I do?**_  
 _ **I know you're fine, but what do I do?**_

 _ **I'm awake, and trying**_  
 _ **While you're sleeping like a babe**_  
 _ **Beside him**_  
 _ **I'm on the ledge while you're so**_  
 _ **God damn polite and composed**_  
 _ **And I know you see me,**_  
 _ **And you're making it look so easy**_  
 _ **What comes and goes,**_  
 _ **I'd go without**_

 _ **I know you're fine but what about Fallout**_  
 _ **You're the fallout**_

* * *

The room seemed empty. It wasn't that there was nothing in the room, there's a bookshelf and desk both messy with books and papers, a bed topped with a messy quilt and a boy feels just as empty as the room.

Stiles hadn't always felt that way, in fact until a month ago he'd been the polar opposite of his current mood. He had a kindling relationship with a beautiful girl, a dozen friends and a constantly beaming smile.

Now, Stiles barely remembers the last time he genuinely smiled, though he's sure it was when he was last with her. He knows it's his fault they've split, he should have seen the signs, he should have known that if he continued to push she would run. He'd just been so sure she wanted him too, she certainly never denied it before.

She'd been adamant that it was for the best, she had said it so certainly but he couldn't help but see the regret and pain in her eyes as she fought tears. Friends? She had asked and there was never a time when he could say no to her, no matter how much it hurt it.

It was the next day he learned why she'd dropped him like an overused toy.

Jackson Whittemore.

In not even twenty four hours she was back in his arms, back in his bed, back to him boasting her 'epic' skills in an attempt to rile Stiles up. It was the only time Stiles had leapt into a fight with a werewolf and won. And even that ultimately just made Lydia ignore him even more than she was already ignoring him.

So now, Stiles sat on his bed, just under a month since his fight with Jackson. He knew that Lydia was past him now, she barely spared him a glance anymore and it reminded him of sophomore year. He didn't know what to do, not while he knew she was with him in his bed.

He didn't blame her, Jackson was her high school love. She probably loved him the way he loved her. It was easy to see that he was just a distraction, someone to ease the pain while she healed. He was glad that she was happy; she had the person she wanted, she was coming to own her banshee power and accept it and she was carefree.

It was the first time he saw her smiling freely and openly joking since before Peter bit her. It reminded him that all of the pain in her life was because of him, of his attachment to her. But without her he was lost. What was Stiles Stilinski without Lydia Martin in his life, sure he had her friendship, but now that he'd had more it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough.

It just brought Stiles down a train of thought he liked to avoid; the past two years of his life. Everything from finding Laura in the woods to the Deadpool. Stiles wished beyond anything else he could go back and stay in that night. Avoid the woods at all costs and let some other schmuck and his puppy-dog friend's lives get turned into a shit storm by the bite.

But no, now he faced a new torrent of nightmares. His usual night terrors of the days after his mother and his father's drunken episodes, new levels of horror left as a keepsake from Void. Stiles thought they were his memories, he just knew that with each dream he could feel the weapon in his hand, he could hear the screams and smell the blood with each massacre.

He started counting his fingers again.

It only got worse after Lydia left and Stiles knew that he should tell her that. He should tell her that the only times he's sure he's real is when he's with her. Stiles picked up his phone and pulled up her contact on his phone.

 _Was he really going to call her?_

 _What if she answered? He'd wing it._

 _He tapped the call button and sat up cross legged on his phone as he stared at the time and saw a blaring red, twelve-forty-five._

 **RING**

 _She might be up, he knew she was prone to insomnia when she got too stressed out._

 **RING**

 _The question was, did he want her to be up._

 **RING**

 _A part of him certainly did, but maybe it was best if he just hung up and ignored it._

"Hi, you've reached Lydia Martin's cell, please leave a message with your name and phone number and I'll get back to you."

'Whew, dodged a bullet.' Stiles thought as he laid his phone on his end table and laid down to sleep intent on not making a similar mistake again that night. It wasn't by accident that Stiles missed Lydia's phone call at twelve-fifty-two. Stiles knew that she was with him, he knew she would be in his bed and she was only calling because it could be supernatural related.

It made him question her rationale, something he'd done about a lot recently.

He questioned how she could come to him crying and begging for comfort in the dead of night, slowly work her way into his heart, into his bed, and just disappear into the night for her ex-boyfriend. An ex-boyfriend that had done basically the same thing to her.

She had manipulated his feelings for her against him into forming a twisted semi-romantic relationship. He thought she was coming to love him, he thought that he was finally winning over his dream girl. But then the day came, she dropped him as if his very name burned her image. She slowly receded into that shallow, dumb Queen Bee she'd been before Allison. It made sense she could never love him, he'd killed her best friend and her most recent boyfriend. His possession was no excuse, he should have fought harder, been something beyond human. He'd been the one to let the Nogitsune in.

Now Lydia insisted on acting casually with him amongst their peers. As if she hadn't taken his heart, spent months in his bed whispering affectionate words in his ear beyond ripping his heart out and leaving his bed in a cloud of dust.

Now, in the fallout, Stiles wasn't sure he would survive without her.

* * *

"You called me last night." He heard her behind his locker and groaned as he leaned his forehead against his locker door. He really didn't want to face her right now. He wanted to get through the day, go home and sleep.

"Yeah, I pressed the wrong buttons." Stiles brushed it off casually as he reached into his locker for his history binder and slammed his locker shut abruptly, startling her. "Sorry." He wasn't.

"I called you back." Lydia said expectantly, like she deserved his answer. She deserved jack shit from him.

"I had nothing to say to you." Stiles shrugged, walking off toward his history class without another word. Groaning again as he heard her heels clack behind him as she stormed after him in an attempt to catch up.

"Maybe I've got something to say to you." Lydia said suggestively when she finally stopped Stiles in the middle of the history hall way.

"Oh, and what's that? Jackson broke up with you and I'm your boy-toy again?" Stiles bit harshly making Lydia flinch in pain. He wanted to feel bad for hurting her feelings but she had used and abused him to the point where she deserved a little pain.

"That what you-? Look I gotta go, I just wanted to invite you to the Lacrosse Practice after party at my house tonight." She said in a hush of confusion and irritation as the warning bell rang. "We'll talk later." It wasn't a suggestion or a brush off, her tone of voice, the look on her face when she said it, it was a fact.

Stiles and Lydia both knew he wasn't going to that party.

So that night, at nine-forty Stiles was laid out on his bed while Scott and Jackson, who were now close-buddies were out celebrating the team's skill. He'd taken to reading books and playing video games, it was easy to lose himself in these things and forget he had no friends.

His dad was working a night shift, going shortly after dinner and back sometime after dawn. Stiles was alone and at peace in the solitude of his near-pitch black bedroom, lit only by one lamp in room's corner.

He was lost in his game, Star Wars for the playstation could get fairly intense. He didn't hear the front door, now did he hear the steps creak. He simply lounged on his bed facing his tv as he played, a position he frequented while playing with Lydia cuddled into his arms.

"Is now a bad time to talk?" Her voice startled him out of his gaming zone and set him on edge. Lydia watched silently as the peaceful, relaxing Stiles she'd been quietly adoring set on guard. She frowned as his brow narrowed, his lips purse and his eyes grew distant and cold. It burned Lydia to know that she had hurt Stiles so much that she deserved his most distant, spiteful glare.

"Yes, now's a bad time." Stiles growled as he stood from the foot of his bed, "You aren't allowed to let yourself in here anymore." Stiles voice was filled with venom. Venom fueled by pain and anger. "You think you can do that? Huh? You think it's okay to just ruin me and walk away?"

"Stiles, just listen to me, please give me a chance." Lydia stepped toward Stiles who took a wide step back avoiding her touch like the plague. "Please." Her voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes.

"I gave you a chance Lydia." Stiles paused, his words oddly calm, "I let you in, one hundred percent. I was prepared to give you everything. I loved you Lydia. And then he came back and you just ran to him, you didn't even care about me anymore." Stiles own tears fell as his thoughts rolled back to the days before Lydia's disappearance, when he was working himself up to tell her he loved her. They'd spent everyday together, they just cuddled and hung out. They did everything and nothing together. It was the greatest time in Stiles life, but he wasn't sure he could go back.

"I know you did and I know that I ruined that. I know that I hurt you Stiles and I'm sorry. I want more than anything to go back, I want to kiss you and never stop kissing you Stiles. I should have told you that I wanted you too but I was scared, I was scared that I didn't feel for you what you feel for me." Lydia paused as she took a step forward, gaining some confidence as Stiles' cold, distant glare fell off his face.

"I know you loved me Stiles, and that's terrifying. You've literally risked your life for me time and time again. I never felt safer or happier than when I was with you and I doubted that I could give you that Stiles." Lydia paused and licked her lips as she finally stepped in front of Stiles, stepping so close that she had to look up to meet his beautiful whisky eyes.

"So yeah, when Jackson came back he called me for a booty call and I ran back to him. I wanted to know if I still felt anything for him and the whole time my heart ached for you. All I wanted was for him to be you, beyond anything else. I love you Stiles. Give me one more chance and I promise I'm yours, one-hundred percent." Lydia pleaded as she met Stiles stare, standing chest to chest at the foot of his bed.

Lydia wanted nothing more than to meet her lips with his and fall back into his bed, she wanted to go back to the days they spent curled up on the bed reading, gaming and enjoying each other's presences.

Stiles found Lydia's eyes enchanting, and as she pleaded with him he read her emotions like a book as her regret and sorrow seeped from her every pore and her beautiful blue eyes radiated a type of love he'd only ever imagined or hope to see in the past.

Stiles couldn't control himself as he crashed his lips to hers in a desperate grapple for some resemblance of peace and reconciliation. He just couldn't control himself as he pulled them back onto the bed and let her take control of the action as she was so often prone to in the escapades. He didn't know if Lydia was going leave again, and in that moment he didn't care. He finally had something he didn't have before.

Closure.

She loved him too, even if it was only for a fleeting moment, Lydia Martin loved Stiles Stilinski and that's all that he really cared about.


	2. Have Faith in Me

_**Have Faith in Me**_

 **"Have faith in me**

 **Cause there are things that I've seen I don't believe**

 **So cling to what you know and never let go**

 **You should know things aren't always what they seem**

 **I said I'd never let you go, and I never did**

 **I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it**

 **If you didn't have this chance then I never did**

 **You'll always find me right there, again"**

 **A Day to Remember**

* * *

Everything had begun blurring together; it was like a subtle sensory overload.

Days passed and words began to realign and fade from pages; Sleep and consciousness blended together to form an eerie state of being that left Stiles unsure if he was awake or not at any given moment. Their sacrifice to the Nemeton didn't seem to affect Allison or Scott beyond a temporary loss of impulse control for Scott and a confidence drop in Allison's archery. _Lucky_ Stiles, he was gifted a constant state of hyperactivity that led to countless sleepless nights and a tortured state of limbo while his friends were able to overcome their darkness with little more than some encouraging words from the Pack.

Scott was busy exploring his feelings with Kira and being happy. The two were growing closer each day, forming a kind of love unlike Scott and Allison, it came from an understanding of each other's differences and accepting them. Scott and Allison had always been more of a Romeo and Juliet story, bound by youthful love and separated by family tradition. Stiles was happy for Scott, so when his friend chose to ignore him in favor of this new love, Stiles accepted it was time to share his best friend.

Isaac though was now always busy with Allison, their relationship was one of compassion and understanding, Isaac needed fixing and Allison was the weaver of broken hearts. Her kind words and gentle mannerisms left Isaac uncomfortably comfortable in her presence. Stiles found a nice companion for late night conversations in Isaac after a Friday night when Isaac was forced out of Allison's. He'd been walking home when he heard Stiles' gaming commentary and decided to stop in to check up on him.

It became a routine that Stiles welcomed. Isaac would arrive shortly after Eleven-Thirty and leave around One or Two in the morning. Their topic of conversation ranging from Isaac's childhood and coping with his father's abuse, to Stiles' mother's final days. Stiles never mention the sleep deprivation. He found a good friend in Isaac for a time, but like all good things, it came to an end. Chris had discovered Isaac in Allison's bed and ultimately surrendered to Allison and began allowing Isaac to stay the night. Stiles still had a good friend in Isaac, but they rarely saw each other outside of pack meetings and school.

And then there was Lydia.

She was beyond him, with the defeat of the Darach Lydia's focus returned to being the girl she was before all the crazy happened.

 _Before he happened._

So Stiles decided to man up and stepped back from her life. No good came from being Stiles friend, and though it felt like carving a piece of himself out, he knew she deserved a chance at a normal life.

Lydia was everything to him, his first love, his best friend and his tether; but she wanted to return to her old life. She wanted to escape the Supernatural and just be her. That wasn't something he could do. Not when his best friend was a True Alpha, not when they'd supposedly awoken an Beacon to the Supernatural in their town. So he pretended, he feigned indifference to the fact that she had gone from texting him every night to barely acknowledging him again. He pretended that it didn't feel like he was tearing himself apart when he watched Aiden kiss her in the halls and practically wrap his arm across her shoulder's like a noose.

As it stood, Stiles had no one, but that was okay. He had taken to suffering in silence.

It wasn't like anyone cared anyway.

Stiles still ate lunch with the Pack on a near daily basis, but no one spoke to him. Isaac made friendly conversation a few times but even he knew it was a formality. Stiles knew what he was, Stiles was Scott's Friend, only in the know because his friend leads The Pack. They would survive without Stiles. Their lives would go on and who knows, they'd probably find a cooler human than him anyway. Even Allison was a bad ass from a family of hunters with decades of experience. Stiles' Dad was near clueless at best and Stiles was replaceable.

That was why even though he knew the Pack was over at Allison's having a movie night, he opted to stay home. It's not like anyone would notice he's not there. After giving some excuse about wanting to spend his father's only day off with him they all went on with their lives.

Scott didn't even questioned the fact that Stiles' dad has never had a Friday off in his life.

* * *

His Dad left just after dinner, so Stiles cushioned himself on the couch with a bowl of extra butter popcorn and popped on some random rom-com Lydia would probably like. Why not have a movie night of his own? Just because his so-called Pack was at Allison's having a movie night didn't mean he couldn't have one there. That way there would be no complaints about his movie choices and his bed was a stone's throw away if he felt like he could actually fall asleep.

Nearly two hours later at the end of a movie he discovered to be called Friends With Benefits Stiles stood to use the bathroom, pop more popcorn and settle in for whatever else he could find on TV when his doorbell rang. Stiles was a naturally curious person, even sleep deprived and hungry, so he found himself foregoing the popcorn in favor of answering the door and satisfying his curiosity.

Stiles paused when he noticed the silhouette in the doorway and hesitated.

 _Why was she here?_

Lydia wasn't supposed to come to his house, she was supposed to move on with her life and forget about him. Stiles' was conflicted as he internally debated his decision, did he leave her out there? If he did she would eventually give up on him, probably start to hate him. But at least that way she would escape the supernatural.

"I can see you, you know." Her tone and posture oozing irritation. Stiles could imagine the treat he was in for if he opened the door. A full-blown raging Lydia Martin, probably pissed off and ready to tug his heartstrings to make him dance for her, like she always did.

"I'm aware of that. I'm just debating whether or not to let you in." Stiles' tone was rather stand-offish and Lydia's posture shifted with his words. She went from being confident, angry Lydia, standing with her hands on her hips and her head high to demure and nervous, wrapping her arms around herself and dropping her eyes to the ground and it startled him to know his words had that effect on her.

"C-can, can I _please_ come in? We need to talk." Lydia begged quietly and Stiles knew he lost. To Stiles there was no such thing as refusing Lydia Martin.

"We-uh-I… Okay." Stiles shut his mouth and stepped to the doorway to let her in. The sight of her immediately threw Stiles off. Lydia in usually Lydia fashion was dressed up and perfect, but she was at his door. Lydia dressed like that to go out to a party, or to go out on a date. The only time Stiles had seen Lydia that dressed up was Winter Formal. _Yet another reminder of why she shouldn't be here_. Lydia never came to Stiles' house dressed like that... for any reason. He stepped out of the doorway and Lydia crossed the threshold, there was no going back now. She had come in his house for the first time in two months.

"What can I do for you _this time_ Lydia?" He asked as he led her into the kitchen to finish getting more popcorn. He hadn't meant the question to sound so accusatory, nor did he want her to think he didn't want her there. So when he turned expecting to see Lydia looking insulted, instead she had stopped dead in her tracks and stared self-consciously at the floor.

"Is that what you think?" Lydia paused as her voice trembled. "That I'm just here to use you?"

"What, no, no-no-no, Lydia you got that wrong." Stiles reeled back, trying to save himself. He didn't realize how volatile Lydia's mood was at the moment. "I meant, is there anything I can do for you?" He reached out and put his arms on her shoulders, keeping her at arms length while she stared at the floor. Stiles was left staring, willing Lydia to look up and meet his eyes. If she saw his eyes she might be able to see that he would do anything for her.

Lydia's eyes pulled off the floor and emerald green met whisky brown and Stiles could swear time stopped around them. He knew that Lydia could see it, she recognized his love for her. Then she broke down crying. In the moment after coming to a realization Lydia collapsed against Stiles' chest, tears pouring from her eyes as she sobbed. Stiles simply held her as she cried, not caring in the slightest that her makeup was probably staining his shirt.

"Why do you do it?" Lydia asked after her sobs subsided enough to allow her speech.

"Do what?" Stiles asked quietly as he pulled away from Lydia and gently pushed off her attempts to grab him again. He picked her up and carried her towards his room without a thought.

"Things like this." Lydia said with her head on his shoulder. " _Love me._ " She whispered, Stiles catching only due to proximity.

"Because Lyds," Stiles chuckled as he kicked open the door to his room and strode in purposefully, "There are so many amazing things about you." He smiled down at her as he laid her down on top of the sheets and sat at her feet. "It's impossible for me not to love you." He turned away from her for moment and sighed, "There are just so many little moments, where I knew you weren't the person you tried to be." He grinned as he remembered the feisty little Lydia that stood up for him in grade two. "I always noticed when you were just you, and it captured me." Stiles admitted all this while facing his wall, away from her, but as his confidence rose he turned to face her "Your smile when you got back a perfect test in Science, or how pissed off you were at Katie for stealing your boyfriend in grade Seven, even though you pretended like you didn't care."

That earned a laugh from Lydia who was now laying curled up on Stiles bed giggling into his pillow. Stiles didn't think his joke was that funny but Lydia laughed on for a few moments before pulling herself from the pillow.

"Stiles." The change in tone, from embarrassed giggling to serious conversation set Stiles on edge. What would Lydia want to say to him now? He turned and met Lydia's eyes, he sat himself in preparation for another devastating announcement.

"I love you." She said it so surely and so confidently that Stiles would almost believe her if she hadn't spent the past two months ignoring his existence. "Please hear me out okay? I never realized it. Not until today." Stiles opened his mouth to speak but Lydia placed a finger over his lips and barrelled over his words.

"Allison and Kira came over to decide outfits for the movie night and every time I tried on an outfit I would ask the girls' would Stiles like this?' And they had to remind me multiple times that I was going to see Aiden tonight, and that you wouldn't be there." Lydia paused to swallow and Stiles could see she wasn't going to let him speak until she finished.

"It was the epiphany to end all epiphanies. One minute I was just normal old Lydia, caring about outfits and boys and parties and then I was sitting on my bed hyperventilating." Lydia seemed close to the same again as she continued to work herself up on a rant.

"You used to come see me all the time, you used to say hi and tell me I was pretty in the hall and I would just ignore you." Lydia smiled sadly as she looked up to Stiles with tears brimming her eyes. Without a word he slid across his bed and pulled Lydia into his arms allowing her to continue.

"And then it just stopped, I know it was my fault, I asked for this but it was just so much. All of a sudden you weren't there anymore. I didn't see you at my locker before class with a smile and a compliment ready to go. You stopped coming over on Saturday mornings for ice cream and cartoons. I realized you would never ask to have me over any more and you would never text me again." Lydia let out a shaky sigh and let a tear roll down her cheek.

"All of freshman year I wished you would leave me alone, and now finally, when I probably depend on you more than anyone else, I got my wish." Lydia stayed silent for a minute just trying to even her shaky breaths.

"Funny enough, it was the thought of you with another girl that really did it for me. Allison asked if I would be okay with you dating another girl and honestly? I was fucking livid but really it was like the floor was ripped out from under me and all the air from the room was stolen because I realized that I had you. You loved me and I was too blind to realize it. I am so sorry that I broke your heart. Will you ever forgive me?"

"I already forgive you Lydia. I always understood why you did it, the Supernatural is terrifying and dangerous, most of the time I want to escape too but Scott's my best friend and I'm not going to abandon him. As long as I'm alive I'll be there for him and I know that you want to distance yourself from the Supernatural. That's not something I can do. I can't just abandon my best friend, not when he needs me." Stiles was prepared for a second let down, for Lydia to sob in his shirt and apologize for coming and making it all worse for him.

"I want you Stiles. If that means that I have to be a banshee death magnet I'll do it. I can't lose you again Stiles. You mean to much to me." Stiles didn't even hesitate in pulling her to him and latching lips in a passionate embrace. Stiles pushed Lydia back onto his sheets and thanked every god he knew that Lydia Martin was willing to be with him.

* * *

 **I said I'd never let you go, and I never did**

 **I said I'd never let you fall and I always meant it**

 **If you didn't have this chance then I never did**

 **You'll always find me right there, again**


	3. One Love

_**The light dims without regret**_

 _ **'Til now you're nothing more than a silhouette**_

 _ **But just hold quick, you're fading right**_

 _ **In a cold trick of the light**_

 _ **I'm just so sick, I thought you might be here**_

 _ **But you di-disappear**_

* * *

"Stiles, I'm.. I think, I don't know how to say this because we aren't really _together_ in the first place but, I'm going to stop seeing you." Stiles felt the bucket of ice water in Lydia's words ruin his day. No pun intended. It was like his world stopped in the moment, he couldn't believe the words coming from her mouth.

"What? Why?" Stiles couldn't imagine what he did wrong. All summer they'd grown close, Stiles had accepted that she wouldn't love him like he did her, and that was okay. But now it seemed that Stiles would be denied even her friendship.

"It's nothing against you, I just want to be normal Lydia for a while, that and Aiden keeps asking if we're a thing." Stiles wasn't used to seeing Lydia awkward or anxious and yet in that moment he was too close to breaking down that he just mumbled acceptance and stormed away ignoring Lydia's apologies and pleas for forgiveness.

He found himself unable to breathe before he could make it the boys' locker room. Stiles breathe was torn from him and left him to fall against the nearest bank of lockers to sit. Stiles started counting backward, doing his breathing techniques and praying that he didn't black out in the school locker room.

He was lucky Scott found him not two minutes later and dragged him to the Nurse. Bless having a Werewolf best friend.

* * *

 _ **I wake up tonight, feeling paper thin and I'm paper white**_

 _ **You say, "Just come back to bed"**_

 _ **Voice sounds strange, but I soon forget**_

* * *

Stiles shot up from his bed in a fright, a scream on the tip of his tongue before he stopped it. He sat up in his bed and leaned forward on his arm as he unlocked his phone to call out of habit. She was the one thing that kept back the nightmares. He paused on her contact photo for a moment.

One month and seven days without her.

The nightmares weren't something he could avoid without her, no matter how many prescription drugs he took or questionable herbs Deaton gave him. The only time the nightmares stayed away was when Stiles was with Lydia. For whatever reason she kept his nightmares at bay, maybe it was the tether or maybe it was just her.

Whatever it was Stiles was thankful for it.

Stiles held his phone like a lifeline as his heart raced in his chest. No matter how much or how often he stared at Lydia's contact photo, a candid picture of her smiling at him in his lacrosse sweater and boxers. It was totally out of context, but it used to help his anxiety.

Really they had spent the night tracking yet another rampant omega in the pouring rain and when they had gotten back to his house Lydia demanded a shower. She rifled through his drawers for a pair of boxers and his Lacrosse jersey and disappeared into the shower.

When she returned they sat down to a night of research, the picture a result of Stiles white lies. Pretending to snapchat Scott, Stiles made goofy faces, pretending to send snaps while his camera was trained on Lydia.

Thinking about the picture helped Stiles relax.

"Come back to bed Stiles."

Exhausted and raw as he was Stiles didn't question the voice and fell back into his bed. Stiles prayed for dreams of decent night's sleep, only to find more nightmares of Void to greet him in his sleep.

* * *

 _ **And you've been wishing but you don't know how to stay**_

 _ **And I've been broken but I'm better every day**_

 _ **So don't stop, no stoppin' it yet**_

 _ **What if the one true love's the only one that you get?**_

* * *

Lydia was terrified. She wasn't used to being the vulnerable one. She wasn't used to a man literally falling over themselves to meet her demands. That's why Stiles Stilinski scared her. He represented every aspect of a man that Lydia didn't deserve. If only she'd realized it before she shattered his heart and broke his trust.

Lydia wanted nothing more than to just go back to their lazy summer of late night movies, ice cream and cuddles, but instead she was forced to lay in her bed and cry because she had been foolish enough to think that Aiden was any competition for Stiles.

Stiles hadn't been the same after they 'broke up.' He looked sort of numb to the world and he looked like absolute crap physically, as if he hadn't slept in days. Lydia couldn't help but feel guilty for what she said. Aiden hadn't even proved to be a trustable person let alone a considerate boyfriend, meanwhile Stiles had been faithfully loyal their entire childhood.

She just prayed he would let her talk to him.

With that thought in mind she climbed out of her car and marched right up to the Stilinski's home. After sitting across the street for nearly half an hour trying to build courage Lydia finally knocked forcefully on the Stilinski's door.

The door swung open with a cold hard, "What?"

Lydia swallowed slowly and glanced over the man in front of her. He looked visibly paler and definitely more sickly, his usually spiked and lively hair was matted and flattened. "I-I'm here to apologize." Lydia forced her eyes to the ground in same.

"Oh?" Stiles dry, harsh tone sounded slightly amused. It irritated Lydia that he was revelling in this moment, but she smashed his heart on a whim; for a boy that didn't last a month. "Please." Stiles stepped out of his doorway and invited her in.

Lydia stepped in, following Stiles silently, her mouth drier than it's ever been in her life. She had no idea what she was going to say, how did she apologize to a boy, _no_ a man, whose heart she shattered?

Stiles lead her to his living room.

Lydia couldn't help being disappointed they hadn't gone to his room. They always hung out in his room unless the whole pack came over. But that day Stiles sat on his Dad's comfy chair and Lydia anxiously placed herself in the middle of his decade old couch.

Stiles didn't say a word as he stared Lydia down with a face of indifference and Lydia started to freak out. Why wasn't he freaking out on her? Why wasn't he using his snark and wit to lash out at her? Why wasn't he hurting her back?

" _Because he loves you, you don't hurt the people you love."_ A voice that sounded particularly like Allison spoke in Lydia's head. Lydia started to panic as she reconsidered the last four years all she could remember for the longest time was being rude and hurtful. How could Stiles love her still? All she's done is hurt him. Lydia couldn't control the tears that came rushing down her cheeks as she stared at Stiles.

"God. Stiles. I had this whole scenario planned before I came over today." Lydia smiled at the irony, it seemed _none_ of their plans work like they're supposed too. Stiles face didn't move and Lydia just started rambling.

"I wanted to come here and you were going to get mad and yell at me," Lydia smiled at Stiles's stoic face, her scenario began replaying in her mind, "You were going to call me a bitch, and tell me how I broke your heart and that I deserve to burn in hell. I'd deserve all of it too, then you would kick me out. And I was going to sit on your porch until your Dad comes home."

The thought of Papa Stilinski's disapproving glare, knowing she deserved every bit of it was painful. "Then he was going to get mad at me for breaking your heart and tell me to leave, then I was going to tell him that I love you and I fucking hate myself for all the things that I've done to you, and not just recently. I was going to tell him all about how I started going out with Aiden and checked my phone every five seconds for a message from you, and how I hoped and prayed you would show up at my door one day and.." Lydia paused as she thought for a moment.

"I honestly don't know what I wanted you to do.. Probably declare your love for me and sweep me off my feet. But then I realized that I ruined that. I fucked that up because I thought Jackson 2.0 would be a great guy, then I realized I had the best man ever and I smashed his heart." Lydia's cheeks were stained with tears and make-up as she spoke, her body shook with anxiety and despair. She had lost the greatest part of her life, all by herself too.

"Stiles... P..please say something." Lydia begged helplessly to Stiles stoic face. Stiles remained silent as Lydia sobbed on his couch, the fact that he wasn't even trying to comfort her just made her sob harder.

After taken a few moments to collect herself Lydia stood up. "Okay, that's it. I'll leave you alone now…" Lydia whispered holding back tears as she slipped back on her ballet flats. "And Stiles.. I'm going to regret breaking your heart the rest of my life." Lydia didn't even see Stiles move as she took her final steps toward the door.

"Stay." Lydia barely heard him over the creaking door. She thought Stiles said something, she turned back to find Stiles standing beside his chair staring at her.

"Did you say something?" Lydia asked hopefully, maybe she had a chance.

"Stay." Stiles repeated, "Stay the night. Be here when I wake up tomorrow and I'll give us a chance." Stiles sounded awkward, like he couldn't decide whether or not to trust her. That cut Lydia deeper than his silence, deeper than any insult he could have thrown at her.

It just meant that Lydia would have to prove she was worthy of trusting with his heart again. If that meant staying over the night, she would do it every day of the year. After all, her favorite pillow was Stiles Stilinski.

"Okay. I can do that."

* * *

 **So don't stop, no stoppin' it yet**

 **What if the one true love's the only one that you get?**


End file.
